Architectural Mesh for FORMAT Festival

Situation

Focused on putting forward a lineup of multifaceted experiences, performances and visual arts, the FORMAT Festival just outside Bentonville, AR is a sensory spectacle. One pinnacle attraction is The Cube—a melding of modern art and inspired architecture that would serve as a functional venue.

Conceived by Kenyan-raised artist Uman, this ambitious modern work would consist of an internal scaffolding frame that would be enveloped in a vibrant mesh exterior. In need of an experienced large-format printer to make this possible, experiential marketing group C3 Presents relied on Britten to make this a reality.

Solution

To create the impression of a towering cube with uniform facades, Britten created a massive 16’x200’ uniform sheet of mesh. Printed with the whirling lines, circular clusters and vibrant hues of the artist’s design, the finished large-format piece was a brilliant canvas true to Uman’s vision and produced on an enormous scale.

Pulled taut over the scaffolding frame, the finalized Cube was an architectural wonder that would house performing artists and adoring fans within its core.

Impact

The Cube was an impressive venue in the daylight. Boasting uniform facades with as few seams as possible, it was a powerful form set against the idyllic Ozark horizon. But at night—aglow from internal stage lighting The Cube pulsed with unrivaled vibrancy.

Fans bunched into the ground level and edged against the DJ booth while patrons occupied the multi-tiered scaffolding above. Beset with laser lights throughout, the heart of The Cube thrilled with prismatic and ethereal display.

Enveloped in perforated Britten mesh, the venue offered refreshing breathability, was authentic to the vision of the artist and provided a seamless, and timely solution for C3 Presents and the FORMAT Festival.